Dreams Come True 4: Heart of Darkness
by shadowlugia249
Summary: A Shadow Lugia TF. When a collector wins a strange orb called the Heart of Darkness, He gets much more than a good night's sleep. Especially when a dark, purple mist is seen hovering around his dreams, changing his entire being...


**Dreams Come True 4: Heart of Darkness**

_By shadowlugia249_

Author's Note: This is my first remake of a previous story. Keep in mind that the first three "Dreams Come True" stories are not meant to conflict with any further "Dreams Come True" events. Enjoy it anyway!

We all know about the events that took place in the first "Dreams Come True" story, right? An absolute nobody finds a rare relic and reawakens a god-like creature and ends up becoming that creature himself and becoming the brother to the god he awakened, right?

But what if fate had been different that day? What if the god that had been awakened had been pure evil? What if he had been sealed away from the world, never to return? What if instead of an almighty good, a great evil had been unleashed? How would fate have been played out if the greatest evil on earth had been able to roam free and remain at large? These questions and more will finally be answered in the first chapter in the next "Dreams Come True" Trilogy!

I've always been a collector for the rare and valuable. When my parents died, I used a good portion of their life insurance and my inheritance to buy and collect rare and valuable items for my collection. I've collected samurai swords, rare WWE belts, teak wood carvings, imported CDs and Japanese magna comics and anime videos.

But even with all of these items, I still felt that there was still an item out in the world that would earn my collection the status of "Legendary". I just wish I knew what it was. But what I _didn't_ know was that that item would practically fall in my lap and change my...

I've been rambling on again. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Skyle Kelvin. I am about 20 years old and like I said, I am a collector for the rare and valuable. I'm not one to collect diamonds or jewelry or other precious stones; _my_ type of collection is something a little more mundane. For the past three years, I have hunted all over the Internet for rare and valuable items to collect and raise in value over the course of my life. I was so overcome by the need to collect that one day, it consumed me and had turned me into...

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's rewind for a second to the events leading up to the acquisition of said item.

I was at home one day, browsing the Internet as usual and looking for anything rare and/or valuable on eBay that would make my collection legendary. For the past year, I have been looking for that one item that would make my collection second to none; I just wish I knew what it was.

After scouring "Antiques and Collector's Items" with no luck, I was suddenly struck with inspiration. It seemed like a long shot, but maybe something would pop up. I searched "divine relics and/or blessed items" and crossed my fingers.

Only three things popped up. One was a dream catcher said to have been around since the Renaissance, another was a purple crystal said to have been used in mystic fortune telling. Not _quite_ what I was looking for.

But the third item caught my eye. It was a large, purple crystal globe that read: "Heart of Darkness". Here we go. I clicked on the item and the description read as thus:

"Heart of Darkness"

Seller: shadowlugia249

Starting bid: $499.99

"This rare divine item was unearthed from a sunken pirate ship known as the _Highwind_ about 20 years ago near Europe. It is said to contain the power to draw evil dreams from a person's subconscious during the night and provide them with a good night's sleep. Although it may not look it, the "Heart of Darkness" is constantly changing colors of its own accord and radiates a strange aura around it. Extremely rare and valuable, the Heart of Darkness has been considered a genuine "cure-all" for all nightmares and even grants the bearer of it unusual "abilities" and "skills."

(Author's Note: I know I used my pen name for the seller's name, but there's a different reason why I used this particular one. Keep reading to find out!)

Now _this_ was something I could use! I _had_ been having a lot of troubled dreams lately and this seemed like the perfect item to purge my mind of those "unpleasant nighttime experiences" as I call them. Not only that, but there seemed to be a lot more benefits to owning it.

But something about this "Heart of Darkness" seemed troublesome. It seemed just too good to be true. First, it "guaranteed" a good night's sleep. Second, it's origins seemed to unusual to be on eBay. After all, shouldn't something like this be in a museum or being guarded in the National Archives or something like that? And what were these "skills" and "abilities" that it was supposed to grant? There were too many inconsistencies for it to be real. I was considering backing out.

But something deep inside me told me that this was the legendary item I was searching for. It was certainly rare and valuable and would make a lovely addition to my collection. My mind said to ignore it, but my gut told me to bid on it. It was as if an unseen force was making up my mind for me.

But just who was this "shadowlugia249"? I had been over eBay over 100 times and I had never heard of him. But according to his reviews, he was a big hit. After all, he had over 249 different reviews. According to "funnymuffler86", "shadowlugia249 has always come through with my orders. You wouldn't believe all the good stuff I've gotten out of him for reasonable prices! He sure knows how to satisfy!"

"Mark Hepburn" wrote that "shadowlugia249 has the best divine stuff I have ever seen! My spiritual life has increased tenfold since I bought his items. He certainly knows what everyone else wants and seems to have an item for them. Hooray for shadowlugia249!"

"funnymuffler86" and "Mark Hepburn" were two of the most popular sellers on eBay and I have even bought something from "Mark Hepburn" once before. If _these_ guys liked him, I certainly would go for him.

But just to be sure, I hunted down the two of them and asked them what they thought of shadowlugia249 personally. But while I waited for a response from them, I decided to go ahead and bid $500 on the Heart of Darkness and hope for the best. Now all I had to do was hope that I was the highest bidder in three days.

But three days later, I was back on eBay looking at the Heart of Darkness to check on its status.

"That's odd," I said to myself as I checked on the bidder list. "I'm the only one on here."

It was true. I was the only bidder going for the Heart of Darkness. It struck me as odd that despite there being millions of bidders online, I was the only one on the list. But in the world of online auctions, anything could happen, so I waited for the auction to close.

While I waited for that to happen, I checked my e-mails from "funnymuffler86" and "Mark Hepburn". This is what one of them said:

77degreesKelvin,

I am not familiar with the name "shadowlugia249" and I am positive that I have not bought anything from that person. I do not know how my name ended up on his review list, but I can assure you that I know nothing of shadowlugia249. Please check to make sure you got the name right.

funnymuffler86

Huh. That was odd.

When I checked Mark Hepburn's reply, it was of a similar nature. He had never heard of "shadowlugia249" and could honestly say that he did not buy anything from him or submit a review to him.

This was just too odd. I had never heard of anyone forging reviews on their own page since they leave behind your exact pen name when you submit one. And what's more, I was stuck buying something from an unknown seller since I was the only bidder and...

(explicit)! The auction for the Heart of Darkness had just ended, meaning I could have just gotten ripped off for a miracle artifact that did not exist! And since the money had already been drawn from my checking account, I was completely screwed. The only ray of hope in this situation was that shadowlugia249 was an honest seller and actually gave me the so-called "Heart of Darkness".

However, just before I logged off, another e-mail was sent to my account. When I checked it, I was surprised to see that it was from shadowlugia249. Opening it, I read it out loud.

"77degreesKelvin – Thank you for purchasing the "Heart of Darkness" from me. I had almost given up hope that it would sell at all! Anyway, I can assure you that the item in question will be shipped to your house by tonight. Thanks again for buying the item from me and I hope that you enjoy its divine abilities. It certainly pained me to sell it, but at least it's being given to a good home. Thanks again – shadowlugia249."

This sent questions flying through my mind. How on earth would I be able to get the Heart of Darkness by _tonight?!_ I know that the Internet was good, but it wasn't _that_ good! What's more, his enthusiasm about selling it was a little _too_ strange. It was if he _wanted_ to get rid of it. This was just too unusual.

But I guess I shouldn't question it too much. After all, shadowlugia249 was glad to be selling to me. I decided to go with it. What was the harm in giving it a try?"

I was eating a chuckwagon for supper when I heard the doorbell ring at 6:06 PM. Since I wasn't expecting anyone, I guessed it was my package. Downing the rest of my sandwich, I went to the door to get my package.

When I opened the door, I had expected someone to give me the package and something to sign. But what I _didn't_ expect was for a large brown box to be lying on my front step, completely alone with no one there. Huh. I picked up the box and took it inside. It surprised me at the conditions leading up to the arrival of my parcel. It just reeked of suspicion and coincidence.

Anyway, I went to my desk and pulled out my letter opener. The tape on this box would be no match for it. Once I got the box open, I had expected an assortment of packing peanuts that just get all over and in the way, but I was taken slightly off-guard when I saw that the box was filled with plastic air bags and cotton. This was the kind of thing that you only saw in boxes with presents in them that were too small for the box and you didn't want to let the person know about it.

Regardless, I took a large, heavy, bubble-wrap-wrapped item out of the box and began to cut the tape around it. Through the clear plastic wrap, I could see something glowing brightly and then dimming before flaring up again a completely different color and then repeating the process. This must be the Heart of Darkness that I had bought from shadowlugia249. I felt relieved that he had come through with the order.

When the last of the bubble wrap was cut away, I looked at the Heart of Darkness with awe. The pulsating sphere was about half the size of a 16-pound bowling ball and appeared to be made of finely-cut crystal. It was a perfect sphere and I could see for the first time that there was a mark in the middle of the orb. It looked like a star with its points broken off, leaving a pentagon with five triangles around it. Inside the pentagon was a tiny five-point pentagram – a "lazy man's star". The star symbol was distinct from the rest of the dark colors in the ever-color-shifting orb. Its line color always matched the color on the outer rim of the orb while the rest of the sphere was black with a slight tint of its current color. Also for the first time, I noticed that the Heart of Darkness gave off a faint black aura that shadowlugia249 had mentioned in his congratulatory e-mail. This was a pretty cool little device and I wanted to add it to my collection as soon as possible.

(Author's Note: For those of you who need a point of reference, picture the orbs left behind by difficult enemies that contain miscellaneous items in Zelda: Wind Waker. The only difference is that instead of a spiral in the center of the orbs, _this_ one has a broken star symbol.)

I made to pick it up, but as soon as I touched its surface, something happened that still creeped me out to this day. The instant I touched its crystalline surface, I felt as if someone was watching me. An image of a face that I could not identify flashed briefly in my mind and I felt a sense of foreboding radiating all around me. I released the Heart of Darkness and the image vanished. _That_ was creepy! It felt as if someone was spying on me through the orb, but I couldn't place a name.

Against my better judgment, I made to pick up the Heart again, but this time, it proved uneventful. The face had vanished and the sense of foreboding had disappeared. I felt slightly better now that it was gone.

The orb weighed about five pounds, though it looked much heavier than that. Also, it felt unusually warm to the touch. It felt as if a small, warm fire was burning inside of it. That was odd, since I was the first one to touch it in some time. Nevertheless, I lifted the orb off the floor and went to go place it in my room.

When I put the Heart on a cushion usually used for ringbearers, I stood back to admire the orb for a while. It went about its usual routine of flashing, dimming and flashing a different color like usual. It was like a night light with no batteries. And just looking at it seemed to calm me down somehow. It had an air of unusual calm around it that made my heart be at ease. It was as if there was a presence inside the Heart that reached out to soothe its bearer. I liked it; it was as if I had been given a friend to help me through my life.

Some time later, I went to bed with the Heart of Darkness sitting next to me on my bedstand next to my clock. It seemed to radiate its own light that did not light up the entire room around me. It enabled me to get to sleep with its soothing colors flashing around me. Soon, I was yet another visitor to the infinite wonders of the Dream World.

Someone was standing next to me. I could feel his presence like an old friend that had never left my side. Although I couldn't turn around without him moving away, I felt I could trust him as he stood near me.

I felt a strange sensation moving down my side. It was unlike any feeling that I had ever experienced before. It felt soft and flexible almost like rubber but with a cushion-like texture to it. It felt as if I was being stroked gently by something covered in the finest latex. But the material was flesh-like and there was a feeling of a being that it belonged to.

I looked down at my side and noticed that a strange violet mist was winding around me. Wherever the mist touched me, my clothes seemed to disappear and I felt the strange sensation on my bare skin. It felt so pleasurable to be touched like this and I never wanted the feeling to stop.

_Are you content, Skyle?_

A deep, dangerously calm voice echoed all around me. It wasn't verbal, but my mind heard the voice loud and clear. The voice was so powerful but so soothing at the same time that I merely sighed and answered it.

"Yes... I am glad you're here."

The purple mist moved up my body and touched me gently on the cheek. I nearly passed out from the extreme calmness I felt.

_Isn't this what you've wanted? Haven't you always wanted a dream like this?_

Again, the voice spoke to me in a tone that made me feel comfortable and reassured at the same time.

"Yeah... my dreams haven't always been that good lately. I'm glad that I can spend this night with you."

The mist fully surrounded me and I felt a strange wind blow through me, making me almost float in the Dream World.

_You would trade everything you know to be with me, yes?_

I should have questioned this, but the feeling of security that he was giving me made my decision for me.

"Yes... I feel... complete... with you."

The mist stroked my hair, sending a warm feeling through my body and causing me to roll over in my sleep from the sensation.

_What would you do to be with me?_

Again, something wasn't quite right with these words, but his power was so influential.

_I would give up my life to be with you._

I felt a sense of satisfaction coming from the mist surrounding me.

_That's all I needed to hear. Turn around and look at me, Sheik._

Sheik? I thought my name was Skyle. It didn't make any sense. Nevertheless, I turned my head and looked at the figure directly.

What I saw left a permanent imprint on my mind. I saw two round silver orbs looking back at me surrounded by a red mist instead of white. I couldn't make out much more, but there was a strange, lavender-colored "mask" around his eyes that radiated a feeling of strength and power. Although I couldn't see the rest of his face, I reached out to touch the figure, but it moved just out of my reach.

_No... not yet. If you touch me now, you'll destroy me. Wait a while; I will let you touch me in due time._

"But..." I was a little taken aback that I couldn't touch him.

_You may not be able to touch me, but I can give you something to remember me by. Stand still._

I did that and waited. The purple mist around me seemed to gather over the part where my forehead was. A minute passed in silence... and then...

POW!!!

A powerful force not unlike a cannon firing hit me full in the forehead, but against all odds, I didn't even flinch or feel any pain. All I felt was a strong pressure on my forehead followed by a slight stinging sensation where the mist had touched me.

"Ow..." I winced from the shock of the move. "What was that for?"

_I am making you more... complete._

"Huh?" I didn't understand. "What are you talking about?"

The figure looked off to one side and frowned. _I am sorry that our meeting must end, but it is time for you to wake._

I suddenly felt the dream starting to crack and dissolve. "Wait! I don't wanna leave yet! When will I see you again?!"

The figure receded into the mist, but he managed one final sentence before he left. _Tonight... we will meet again... farewell... for now..._

"I look forward to it!" I said out loud, but then I realized that I was already awake. "Damn it. I didn't even get his name. Oh well." I got out of bed and got ready for my day, pausing to look at the Heart of Darkness in admiration. "Thank you, Heart. You gave me a good night's sleep to remember."

I noticed just as I said this, the Heart seemed to "blink" slightly in its usual dim-and-flash routine. I looked at it in confusion, but then I shrugged it off and went to my bathroom to take a shower.

When I got out of the shower, I wiped off the mirror and noticed something odd. The skin in the center of my forehead looked as if it had been stained with some kind of silvery material in the shape of a broken star. What struck me as odd was that it didn't hurt, but it looked as if I had gotten a tattoo. I tried rubbing it, but all I ended up doing was making the area around it red. The skin that had been marked felt strange somehow. It felt slightly slippery and smooth, almost like wet rubber. Huh.

I tried to remember when I got a tattoo, but could think of anything for the life of me. But then I remembered my dream last night and my eyes went wide. The figure who had given me such a gentle touch last night had done something to me! It had touched my forehead and I had felt a strange sensation on it. This mark must have been the result of my confrontation with that figure!

I started to worry, but for some reason, I felt a strange calmness flow over me like a wave of pure comfort. It was nothing. If anything, it was a memento of my first pure dream. I felt as if the presence that had visited me in my dream was watching over me, calming me down. I then ignored the fact that I had an unexplained tattoo and went about my daily routine, looking forward to meeting the figure in the Dream World later.

I fell asleep rather quickly that night and was soon surrounded by the familiar purple mist. Except this time, there was a slightly distinct shape to the mist. I could see the red-lined silver eyes looking back at me as I walked forward to talk to the figure.

"Oh... it's you... You said you'd be back... and you are."

The figure smiled and once again surrounded me in his presence. The mist reached forward and peeled off my clothes as if they were a banana peel so I could feel the full comfort of his presence.

_I keep the promises I make, Sheik. I would never leave you._

I raised an eyebrow, but was soon lost in pleasure as the mist ran itself over my bare skin. He had called me "Sheik" again, but something told me that that name meant much more than I thought.

_I am glad you are here for me, Sheik,_ said the psychic voice, running a misty hand over my face. _I've been lost for some time and you are bringing me back into the world._

"You're welcome," I said, reaching out to touch the hand that embraced me.

But the figure recoiled when I did. It looked as if I had hurt it and the pleasure I felt quickly turned to pain.

"What's wrong?" I said anxiously. "Did I hurt you?"

The figure paused for a moment and then resumed its exploration of me. _I am not completely whole yet. Your touch still burns me, but all that will soon change._

The figure wrapped his hands around my back and pulled me close to him. I felt the same rubbery flesh-like feeling touching me and a strange warm feeling flow through me as he held me close to his chest.

_Can you not hear it, Sheik? My heart has been locked away for countless millennia and yet I still exist. I cannot feel anything. I cannot feel anger... nor sorrow... nor joy... I cannot remember the feel of wind on my face... nor the sound of the ocean... nor the taste of food. I am nothing at the moment. My heart has been locked away for years, but I still exist. Listen to my heart. You cannot hear it, correct?_

I pressed my ear against his chest but I couldn't hear a single beat or thump coming from it. He was just a spirit, but his heart was locked away. A tear came to my eye as he caressed me with his rubbery hand.

"I... can't hear anything. You were right – you only exist, but cannot feel any of life's pleasures. It's a shame... I wish there was something I could do."

The figure put a hand under my chin and encouraged me to look up at his masked silver eyes. They were the only parts of him that could show emotion at the moment.

_There is a way. Do you still have the Heart of Darkness with you?_

I blinked but nodded.

_Good. When you wake up in a while, I want you to destroy it. Throw it against the concrete and it should shatter, releasing my heart and spirit into the world. When you do that, I will congratulate you and give you your reward._

"What is it?" I said in anticipation.

The figure merely looked at me square in the eyes and smiled. _It's a secret. I can guarantee, though, that you will not regret it._

I nodded. I understood what I had to do. I wanted to free him from the Heart of Darkness and see him return to the world, no matter what it took.

The figure sighed and I felt a small, wet feeling on my cheek. It was a lick of thanks for what I was doing for him. _I trust you, Sheik. Do this for me and the world will remember you forever. Now... awake._

I was disappointed when the dream broke again, but I had a feeling that I would see him again very soon.

I was still half-asleep when I crawled out of bed the next day. I was in a trance from the second wondrous dream I had had in two days. I almost didn't know what I was doing – the figure was guiding me and making sure I destroyed the Heart of Darkness.

Taking the massive orb in my hands, I tucked it under my arm and walked dazily outside to my front driveway. There was a figure guiding me to do this deed and make sure I held my end of the bargain. When I got to the front driveway where it was a slope of rocky concrete, I held the Heart high above my head for a moment before bringing it slamming down on the pavement.

The instant the crystal hit the pavement, a force as more powerful than a flash grenade burst from the globe as it blew out into a thousand pieces. Instantly, my eyes flew wide open and I was thrown onto the grass next to my driveway. Suddenly, I was aware of what I had done.

"What have I done?!" I said to myself as I lied there. "That thing cost me $500 and I destroyed it!"

But the price of the Heart was the least of my worries. As soon as the crystal had shattered, a vicious wind had picked up and the sky above me had turned completely dark. The winds battered against my body, but some unseen force kept me from blowing away. Thunder and lightning tore through the violet clouds high above me and a strange force could be seen rising from the remains of the Heart. I couldn't make it out due to a strange purple haze that had surrounded the area, but I could make out a set of familiar eyes looking at me.

I was next to speechless. I could hardly believe what I was looking at. "It's... you!"

The figure that had visited me in my dreams looked at me for a second and then it flew forward at me... and entered me.

Instantly, I felt my whole body sheer with pain and power as my mind screamed for release. I screamed out myself for the shock to stop, but my vision was starting to cloud over with purple fog. Almost instantly, my entire body ignited with unusual violet flames, burning me from the inside out. I screamed for it to stop, but my clothes had been reduced to ashes and I was lying naked on my front lawn. All the while, strange and wondrous things began happening to me...

Meanwhile, my conscious mind had been sent to the Dream World to escape the pain I was in. But this time, I could have sworn that I was exactly where I was in the Real World. It was so real that I had to bite my finger to see if I was truly awake. Normally, I would do this in the Dream World if something super-real happens and I can't wake up. The numb and empty feeling of biting on cotton convinced me that I was dreaming. But even though this was a dream, I knew that anything could and _would_ happen now that countless years of nightmares had been unleashed when the Heart had been destroyed.

_Thank you, Skyle. You have revived me and allowed me to return to the world._

I heard him, but I couldn't see him. I tried to move, but my body was completely paralyzed with unusual pain.

"Where are you?" I said timidly. "Please don't leave me here!"

_Now is that something I would do to my savior? I don't think so. I will show myself, but try not to move. Your body is undergoing serious changes right now._

I couldn't have moved even if I had wanted to. The pain was just too intense. I watched as the purple mist around me started to swirl and gather in a central point. It started to grow and gather mass until it reached a point 20 feet high and over ten feet long. There was a flash of black light and the mist solidified for the first time.

Oh... my... God... The figure's true form was massive! It looked like a cross between a great bird of prey and a giant whale. It stood over 15 feet tall, but I felt it could make itself appear much taller. It had shadowy-violet skin/feathers that matched the same violet shade that the mist that had visited me in my dreams over the past few nights. It stood on two digitigrade legs with three long, pointed talons on their tips. A long, thick, flexible tail grew from its backside and was tipped with two steel-sharp lavender-colored spikes. On its torso was a large patch of lavender-colored skin with a V-shape near the top, almost like a birthmark. On its back were ten lavender, rectangular plates on the sides of its spine that were thin but flexible. Its wings, however, were the most intimidating. They were broad, flat and flipper-like with four flat "fingers" on the tips and a fifth "thumb" tucked under his wings unlike most humans' thumbs.

At the end of a long, thick neck was a face that looked almost demon-like. Its skull was pointed at one end and it had a curved nose-like beak with two razor-sharp fangs on both its upper and lower jaw. A long, thin tongue trailed out of its mouth as it let out a demon-like shriek. Its face, however, I recognized immediately. It had fierce, silver-lined irises that were bathed in red corneas where most people were white. Around its eyes, though, were two long, crooked, lavender flashes that looked both like a mask and daggers at the same time. I knew for a fact that this was the creature that had haunted my dreams for the past two nights.

The massive bird raised its flipper-like wings above its head and let out an inhuman shriek, causing my heart to tremble with fear and sadness. I couldn't believe that I had just released this... this _demon_ into the world. I realized that I had been tricked and now I was going to be "rewarded" by being brutally killed or even _eaten_ by this monster.

However, I did _not_ expect the creature to fold its wings at its sides and approach me carefully.

_Thank you, Skyle, for releasing me from my prison. I have been hoping for countless millennia that I would be released and allowed to return to this planet. My name... is Shadow Lugia._

For the first time, everything came into focus. This had all been planned by "Shadow Lugia" from the beginning. Somehow, he had posted his own prison on the Internet for an auction with the hope that someone would buy it and help release him. No wonder no one had ever heard of him – he had forged the reviews that I had been stupid enough to believe. Now I was about to pay for my ignorance.

But I was taken off-guard when Shadow Lugia walked over to me and extended one of his wings, stroking me reassuringly on the side and causing the pain I was feeling to lift.

_Do not worry, Skyle. I will not harm you. You have done me a great favor by allowing me to return to the world. And for that, I repay the favor._

Even the soft, rubbery feel of Shadow Lugia's wing was not enough to calm me down this time. "W-W-What are you going to do to me?" I stuttered.

Shadow Lugia gave a small smile and scooped me up in his wings and held me close to him like a parent cradling a child. _I owe my life to you, but I do not have anything to offer as repayment but one thing._

"Which is...?"

_I want you to join me._

I was confused. I wasn't quite sure what he was proposing.

_Let me explain. I was locked away long ago by a great force and my heart was stolen from me and sealed inside the Heart of Darkness. Ever since then, I have been wandering this planet in search of someone to destroy the Heart and release me to create chaos on the planet again. Over the years, I made a vow to give my savior a new way of life. I would transform him into a form like my own and together, we would exact our revenge on this world who sealed me away._

_Let me transform you, Skyle. I am offering you a power and an existence that most would only dream of. Together, we will destroy this world and take our rightful place as gods of this planet._

As he spoke, I felt some of his influence and darkness leech into my soul. This was a creature of pure evil, and he was using his power to manipulate me. His words were poison and I was drinking them up like a dog. Soon, I had lost myself in his words and my human heart was sealed away inside an infinite darkness. I wanted the power he was giving me and nothing on earth would take it away.

Shadow Lugia smiled as he saw his darkness taking over my heart. _What will it be, Skyle? Will you join me and exact my revenge?_

When I spoke, it was in a bored but determined voice. "Yes... I will join you." I reached out to touch his face.

This time, however, Shadow Lugia did not flinch at my touch. He let out a purr-like chirp that told me he was enjoying the feeling.

_The darkness inside you is strong. Very well. You may wake and your transformation will commence._

The dream and Shadow Lugia seemed to melt away and the Real World was coming back into focus. I found myself on the grass once again under a dark sky.

I laid there for a while, feeling nothing and seeing nothing. And then, my body ignited once again with violet flames, consuming me and burning my bare skin. But for some reason, I did not feel any pain. All I felt was a tingling feeling followed by a numbing sensation. I held my hand in front of my face and saw that my skin texture was changing to a rubber-like violet tone. It started at my hand and then seemed to move up my arm like inflating a balloon. My flesh became thick and rubber-like with the purple coloring not far behind. As soon as it hit my shoulder, it started to wash over me like a miniature wave of numbness. At my chest, the purple tone changed to a lavender color and then resumed its normal violet flavor.

When my entire body was covered in the strange purple flesh, I felt my nerves fail and found I couldn't move a muscle. I did want to anyway, because the bones in my arms had just shattered in ten different places. There was a strange pressure in my arms and hands as they started to grow out and become flat and broad. My fingernails couldn't keep up with my stretching fingers and they all chipped off, leaving a bare spot where they used to be. I felt pounds and pounds of blubber filling my broad arms and soon, I couldn't have lifted them if I had wanted to. Eventually, they were nothing but a pair of broad, flat weights at my side. But then there was a grinding noise and a pin-prick-like sensation as new bones grew inside my new wings. They were light and hollow but _very_ strong and I felt that they would have been able to lift my new wings if my muscles were working.

Next, I felt my ribs and backbone grind and start to shift along with my organs. The vertebrae in my spine thickened out and several more bones grew in-between them. My ribs spread out and became longer and thicker as my chest filled out with muscle and blubber. Soon, I was as round and as well-built as Shadow Lugia, even though I didn't look it. Several new organs such as a pair of special lungs seemed to materialize inside my gut with a _squish,_ whose functions would soon be clear in my new life.

When my torso was filled out, I felt several pressure points poking out of my back. Ten thin folds of skin pushed out of my violet back and elongated into ten rectangular plates, where they changed color to a lavender shade. If I could move right now, I would have flexed them experimentally to feel the wind through them.

Next to change were my legs and feet. Like my arms, the bones inside my legs broke in several places. However, this time, they seemed to fold on top of each other, strengthening them as my legs seemed to shrivel up. But even though my legs were now shorter, they then grew out to match Shadow Lugia's in size and scale. My feet, though, underwent a different change. The nails on each of my toes cracked and fell to pieces. And since there weren't any bones in them at the moment, my toes themselves seemed to melt together. My second-and-third and my ring-and-pinkie toes became one with each other as the skin on each pair melted together, forming two toes along with my big toe. The thick skin on them then grew out so that they seemed to long, sharp talons. The bones that had disappeared in them then reformed so that there was some structure inside them.

When my tail grew out, it seemed to practically explode out of my backside. The first second, it was merely a stump, and then a half-second later, I had a full-length fifth limb to add to my splendor. Its thickness, muscles and bones came like lightning, complete with two lavender tail spikes. I was amazed at the time it took me to get a new appendage.

As for my head and neck, that area came last. As the bones in my neck thickened and multiplied, My skull seemed to shatter and rearrange itself so that it was pointed at the end and all my hair was shed at once. My face, meanwhile, became a plastic surgeon's nightmare. I felt my face push out and my nose broke with a _snap._ The leftover skin started to meld with my upper lip and my lower jaw pushed out. All but two of my teeth on each jaw dropped out onto the grass. _Those_ teeth were leftover incisors that started to thicken and sharpen into four pointed fangs. The muscles in my jaw were also enhanced to increase my bite pressure. Something told me that I could now crush a coconut with one good snap if I wanted to.

Around my eyes, the bones grew out to create a long, jagged, lavender mask around each one. This was one of Shadow Lugia's trademark looks that now belonged to me. Also, the whites of my eyes became crimson-red while my pupils disappeared, leaving just a round silver lining to show where my eyes were.

Once my physical transformations were complete, I started to feel the mental ones begin before I could move again. My limited human mind burst wide open to allow an infinite capacity to fill it. I started to learn things that never used to make any sense to me and answers to the most perplexing questions of life came to me naturally now. I understood all there was to know now and even a little bit more.

Also, I felt everything in my human mind amount to nothing and vanish. It made no difference anymore where I was born, who I used to be or even all the accomplishments I've done. My whole human life was insignificant now and the only thing that mattered was that I was above such pathetic achievements. In fact, the only thing that remained of my human life was what made up my being. I can't explain it, but I guess it's what made me... me.

Even so, I felt a second force lock my being deep inside my heart and slam the door firmly shut. The pure darkness that ran through my veins now had locked whatever good I had had left deep inside my heart and threw away the key.

The final part of my transformation came in the form of a great power that had been reawakened when I had released Shadow Lugia from inside the Heart of Darkness. I felt much stronger and much more capable now. The powers of Darkness that belonged to me now had consumed my entire being, giving me just one purpose in life: to fight. I only lived to defeat those who were weaker than me and prove that I was the most powerful thing on the planet – next to Shadow Lugia, of course.

When it was all done, I felt the tingling feeling of thousands of needles wash over me, followed by the strength of my new body being calibrated in my mind. I could move again and the first thing I did was get to my feet and stretch out my stiff joints.

_Did you sleep well, Sheik? _said a familiar psychic voice nearby.

I folded my wings to my sides and looked in the direction of the voice. I was both pleased and surprised to see Shadow Lugia standing near me in a strange form. If I had to give a name to his new form, I would call it an "anthro" form. He still stood on two legs, but they were much longer now and more human-like despite that his flesh was still violet. His feet were digitigrade and resembled his taloned feet that he had had in his true form. He also had two long, human-like, five-fingered arms minus the nails usually found on a human. His wings, though, had shifted position to his shoulders, matching that of a dragon's. They still looked like they had in his former form, but they looked more like wings now.

He still had a long, flexible tail, but his torso and chest area was much slimmer and I spotted a fine six-pack of abs lining his lavender belly. He even had the same set of ten rectangular lavender plates on his back. However, his neck was much shorter and resembled that of a human's but slightly longer. His head, though, was unchanged. It was the part of his body that resembled his true form the most.

_Master…_ I said, not caring about the word I had used or my new psychic voice. _Thank you... for what you have given me. I will always be in your debt._

Shadow Lugia, however, merely shook his head and put a hand (not his wing) on my neck. _Consider us even. You helped me; I returned the favor. As far as I know, we're equals. And by the way..._ he added as he ran his fingers over my neck one by one. _You may call me by my real name – Darkheart._

_Darkheart..._ I said, taking the power of the name. _...It fits you well. By the way... how can I become an anthromorph like you?_

Darkheart removed his hand and walked off in front of me to look at the dark sky.

_When your true power is awakened, it will be revealed to you. No sooner._

I sighed and stepped forward. _What are we going to do now?_

Darkheart looked tired as he walked over to me and climbed onto my back. _I am tired after my return to the planet. Let's retire for tonight. We will begin our campaign tomorrow._

I could think of nothing better to do, so I spread my wings and took to the air for the first time with Darkheart riding shotgun.

Because my heart had been sealed, I could not take in the pure joy that was flying. All I felt was a sense of pleasure of the wind blowing across my skin as I barely had to flap my wings to stay airborne. I felt satisfied from being able to soar high above my foes, but I would never fully feel the true feeling that flying could bring.

But I did not mind. There were more satisfying experiences than just flying. I guess I would never fully understand positive feelings like I used to...

My new Shadow instincts directed me to a spot over the ocean far out from land. The spot that Darkheart had chosen for us to rest was in a spot under the ocean where we could relax and gather our powers for the following day.

As I hovered over the middle of the ocean, Darkheart patted my neck and said, "You know what to do." He then slid off my back and folded his arms and wings at his side and dove straight into the ocean and disappeared in a flash of violet light.

Getting the idea, I folded my own wings against my side and dove straight for the ocean, all the while folding my plates seamlessly into my back, creating a frictionless surface to reduce drag. I then plunged into the ocean and was given a brief feel of cool water on my skin before a shadowy doorway opened and I entered the Shadow World.

When I exited the doorway, I found myself hovering inside a starry dimension. Galaxies, stars and nebulas circled all around me and I felt right at home for the first time since becoming a Shadow Lugia. The powers of darkness that were at work here satisfied my closed heart and I flew through the dimension until I found Darkheart curled up in a corner, once again in his true form.

_You made it, _said Darkheart, lifting his head up off his tail to smile at me. _Come..._ He motioned to a spot nearby. _Rest yourself. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow._

I wandered over to the spot and stretched out before curling up and falling asleep. All the while, the powers of Shadow that radiated all around me, giving me power and teaching me the true meaning of darkness. It also made sure that my already-closed heart was shut even tighter. I let out a sigh in my sleep. I was right at home here. I had a feeling that life would be much better now that I had cast aside my pathetic human life...

...but that's not the end of my story. Not by a long shot. The following morning, Darkheart awoke me and said three words that meant everything: "Come with me."

I yawned and followed Darkheart out of the Shadow World to begin our campaign for global darkness. The powers of Shadow that had visited me during my sleep had given me renewed strength for the start of our campaign. It shamed me that I had had to leave just as I was learning so much more about Shadow.

Regardless, Darkheart and I left the Shadow World and decided to start our battle for Darkness near the West Coast. As we soared overhead, a trail of dark storms were left in our wake. This was only the start of our campaign.

As we reached the coast near California, Darkheart shifted to his anthro form and spread his wings wide to charge up the first attack of our campaign. I watched him start to glow a dark violet as untold power coursed through his veins and into a single point in him open maw. As the Shadow within him intensified, he pointed his Shadowblast at a city in the distance and spoke to me.

_Watch me ignite the fire that will begin our reign, Sheik._

_I'm watching,_ I said as I watched him reach his climax.

Darkheart reared back his head and fired the first Shadowblast from his beak like a cannon. He was pushed back a few feet from the force of the beam as it tore straight through the air, leaving rings of violet energy in its wake. When he had expended all his energy, Darkheart shut his beak and watched the Shadowblast disappear into the distance.

_Now we wait,_ he said calmly.

I did not have to wait long. A few seconds after he had said this, Darkheart's Shadowblast hit the city, causing a field of violet energy to radiate from the point of impact. I could see that it had engulfed the city and it was destroying everything within the field.

Soon, the Shadowblast had expended its energy and it dissolved, leaving a smoky ruin in its wake. Darkheart smiled and looked at me with satisfaction.

_Shall we go inspect the damage?_

I gave my own satisfied smile and took flight. _Yes... Let us see the damage of our first move._

While in mid-air, Darkheart settled onto my back to ride shotgun again until we got there. I was more than pleased to give my friend a ride. It was the least I could do to repay him for the life he had given me.

When we got to the ruined Los Angeles, I was surprised at the effectiveness of Darkheart's Shadowblast. Los Angeles was no small town, but Darkheart had decimated a good 50 square-miles in one shot. The buildings inside the destroyed area had had their windows blown out, their frames weakened and every human being that had been inside had been vaporized, leaving only ashes remaining. I marveled at Darkheart's strength with that one move as we hovered over the ruins. Those that had escaped the carnage, though, were in a panic. People were screaming and fleeing in every direction and the streets were backed up with traffic.

_Is it not amazing, Sheik?_ said Darkheart, dismounting from my back and hovering next to me. _These humans have not yet begun to understand true Fear and yet they flee from us to protect their pathetic lives._

_It _is_ amazing the fear we've installed into this city,_ I said, looking at Darkheart with satisfaction. _And this is only the beginning._

_You are right. Now it is your turn to show these lower lifeforms our power._

I blinked at the sudden task I was given. _Already? I thought..._

Darkheart's face was suddenly stone-like. _You didn't think I would do this all by myself, did you? It's time for you to prove your loyalty to me by eradicating the rest of this city._

_Oh... okay._

This was a little sudden. I hadn't yet tested my powers and I wasn't quite sure what destructive abilities I had.

_You don't need to do much. Just start out with a simple Shadow Storm._

I nodded and spread my wings wide to channel the fear and panic coming from the people down below into my closed heart and create a Shadow Storm. As I listened to the screams and panicked cries coming from down below, I began to glow a bright blue and my mind was filled with a great power. I then focused this power into the skies above and was pleased to see the heavens turning dark with violet clouds. As my powers increased, the clouds became more violent and soon began storming heavily. I reached out with my mind to bring these clouds to the remains of Los Angeles.

Reaching up with a wing, the clouds were pulled from the sky and began to envelop me. Soon, I was at the heart of a small cataclysm as the powers of Darkness flowed through me. And then in one swift move, I turned to face the ground and took a steep nosedive with the Shadow Storm surrounding me like an unstable shield. I then gathered all of my strength to release all of the clouds in one swift move. I hit the ground _hard,_ causing the Shadow Shield around me to shatter.

At the very instant I broke the shield, the Shadow Storm exploded all around me with the force, power and awe of a nuclear bomb. Not one thing was spared as Darkness flooded the city, eradicating all in its path. Buildings were leveled and collapsed, debris was sent flying and all people in the way were killed instantly.

At the heart of the explosion, I was sprawled out on the ground from the force of the explosion. Since the powers of Darkness couldn't affect me, I had remained unscathed except for a few bumps and bruises from colliding with the ground. No matter; my self-regenerating ability would fix that up soon enough.

I was exhausted from the power I had needed to summon and withstand that Shadow Storm. I lied there for a while in the heart of the explosion, taking deep breaths as my body recovered itself.

Soon after, Darkheart came walking over to check on me. He had a look of amazement on his face as he climbed down the crater I was in and knelt by my side.

_I am impressed, Sheik. You did so well on your first Shadow Storm that I think I'll give you the day off tomorrow._

_You... you mean it?_ I was surprised at his generosity.

_Yes. You've earned it._

_Thanks._ I tried to lift my head but found that the Shadow Storm had sapped all of my strength. _I... can't... move._

Darkheart put a hand on my forehead and closed his eyes. "That _was_ a little much for someone of your level. Don't worry; I can Teleport you back to the Shadow World for you to recover. You shouldn't feel bad, either. Over time, your strength will increase to match mine."

I nodded and sighed as I began to feel weightless from the spell Darkheart was using on me. Soon, I found myself spinning through the portal to the Shadow World that I had used last night. When it was all over, I was back in the starry void where I had been the previous evening.

Too tired to move, I fell asleep right where I lied, thinking. This had been a good day and I was looking forward to my day off tomorrow. I made plans on what to do while Darkheart was away. I planned on checking the damage for myself and see if there were any people remaining to intimidate. We would see...

The following morning, I left the Shadow World and made my way to the smoldering remains of Los Angeles. The smoke had not yet cleared, but I was pleased to see that no one had survived.

As I walked through the charred streets, my wings at my side, I noticed that there was a strange wind blowing around the area. There was something different about it – it didn't contain the smell and/or feel of Death that I had expected in this area. But something about the way it flowed over my skin made me suspicious of the area.

I closed my eyes and listened to the Darkness that was still here. There was something here that didn't belong, but I couldn't place a name. Whoever it was was also working for the Darkness, but his real intentions were unclear.

Suddenly, I felt the wind pick up and intensify and I knew... he was here. Two words were shouted out loud as I spun around.

"WING... TORNADO!!!"

A massive gust of wind seemed to come out of nowhere and slammed into me, lifting me clean off the ground and causing me to slam into a weakened skyscraper.

However, this was just the start of my bad luck. I had slammed into a support pillar and the structure suddenly collapsed on me. Thousands and thousands of tons of debris, mortar and metal came slamming down on top of me, burying me forever underneath its massive weight.

…but that wasn't the end of me. Not at all! When the debris settled, I found myself under tons of debris. However, the powers of Darkness that flowed through my veins would not allow me to die. My body was seriously damaged, but I was still alive. And by focusing the Darkness inside of me to a point, I was able to Teleport out of the pile-up and reappear back on the streets.

The figure that had attacked me was nowhere to be seen, but I could still sense his presence. I, therefore, channeled the Darkness through my body to Recover quickly. My bones were reformed, my muscles were soothed and my flesh was healed within a minute.

Cracking my neck to loosen up the stiff muscles, I called out to my opponent. _It's going to take a lot more than _that_ to kill _me!

"I don't doubt that. Gods like us are especially hard to kill." Whipping around, I spotted my quarry. He was hovering in mid-air with his wings outstretched.

If I had to call this creature by a name, I guess I would call him a "dragon", but something told me that he was much more than that. He was about as large as me at about 20 feet from tail to muzzle. However, his pure-white, short-furred body made me hiss in offense. His legs were longer and thicker than mine, but he also had a trio of sharp, pointed claws. He was hovering at an angle that I was able to note a long, jagged, blue strip running from his forehead all the way down his back to the tip of his thick, flexible tail. His paws were three-clawed, but for reasons known only to him, he wore a pair of heavy brown gauntlets over them with a golden band around each of his wrists and a blue sapphire burnished into them. Around his neck was a large golden brace studded with ruby-red rings and golden wind symbols molded onto it. His wings were massive and feathery and a single golden ring pierced each one near his wing joints.

I hissed again as I looked into his face. He wore a leather helm over his straw-yellow hair and blue-winged ears complete with a pair of pilot's goggles on the top and ear flaps on the sides. His face and muzzle were stern but calm. He had narrow deep-blue irises that were looking me up and down with fierce determination.

The white dragon was hovering some distance away from my with his gauntleted paws crossed in front of his chest. Unlike me, however, he needed to keep flapping his wings to stay airborne.

"You're trespassing in my territory," he said in a calm and mature tone of voice. "I would leave right now if I were you."

I hissed and spread my wings to look more intimidating. _I was here first! It was because of me that this city is in the state it's in!_

But the dragon shook his head. "I had strict orders from Ranshiin to leave my mark on this city. I claimed it first."

I flicked my tail angrily. _But who destroyed it? Darkheart and I got here first! It's mine!_

The white dragon did not appear intimidated by my display. "Whatever Ranshiin says... goes. I don't care if you were here first; I was to claim this city in the name of the Windragons!"

I glared at the "Windragon" in disgust. _I say we fight for it. The last god standing gets to leave their mark here._

The dragon scoffed and cracked his neck just like I had. "Fine with me. Don't say I didn't warn you."

I spread my wings and took flight. The dragon did likewise and we charged headlong at each other. We were going to collide with each other in an effort to knock one another out of the sky, but something happened that changed all that.

Before we could collide with each other, a field of white and violet energy seemed to radiate from the both of us and sent the two of us flying backwards from the force of the impact. I hit my head hard on another building down the street, but thankfully, it did not collapse on me this time.

The white dragon, meanwhile, had crashed into the ground and slid a good 50 feet before coming to rest in a heap. However, the impact did more than just knock us for a loop; I felt my mind being broken into and I lost consciousness from the shock of the explosion.

In my dreams, I was standing in front of a large steel wall in the middle of a black void. There was nothing and no one else here except for me and this steel wall. I looked up and down the wall in anticipation. Something I truly desired was on the other side of this wall, but I couldn't get at it for some reason. I felt that all of the answers to my questions would be revealed if I could just get past this.

Looking up, I spotted a hair-thin crack going down the middle of the wall. On an instinct, I tried to wedge my wings in the middle of the crack and pry the wall open, but I couldn't get my feathers inside the fissure.

Frustrated, I let the wall know just how I felt.

_You (explicit) piece of scrap! You know just what I want and you just won't let me have it! If I could get you open, I would show this world my true power! Why won't you open?!_

I kicked the wall with my foot and started pummeling it with my hands and wings. I let all of my frustration out on it, but it would not yield. Finally, I had expended all of my rage and slid down to the ground, weeping, my heart full of sadness and sorrow. It wasn't fair. I felt as if my whole life was behind this wall, but it had been taken away from me and was tormenting me with its amazing resistance. I wanted the prize, but I just couldn't get at it.

But then, I felt a familiar breeze blowing through my dream. It was gentle on my skin, but the wall was starting to yield. The hair-thin crack down its middle began to split and slide open. Soon, I could see a bright white light shining from behind the wall and I was filled with a great feeling that I had never experienced before. It felt as if all of my...

Wait... no! Stop! I was so close! The wall slammed shut in front of me, locking me out!

_Why?! Why is this happening to me?!_ I slammed my hands on the steel wall in frustration.

"Relax, Sheik," said a familiar voice. "Think about what you felt when that door opened. Now you can use it to fight back against Darkheart." It wasn't Darkheart's voice. It sounded like...

_You..._

Before I could get a good look at the white figure, my dream short-circuited and I found the Real World pulling at my consciousness."

"Sheik? Are you awake?"

The white dragon that had confronted me was standing over me with a gauntleted paw on my neck. I moaned and opened my eyes. I could feel the wind coming from him blowing gently on my face. And without even asking, I spoke his name loud and clear.

_Shiron...?_

The both of us looked at each other without any idea how we knew each other's names. We hadn't said anything to each other when we had faced each other. But for reasons unknown, we did not question or reasons.

I was feeling... strange somehow. It felt as if I had reached an understanding about my life that had never been there before. I felt ashamed that I had immersed myself in Darkness and joined Darkheart. I knew I was capable of more than just destruction and it took the presence of Shiron the Windragon to awaken that within me. Even though I hadn't completely seen what was behind that steel door, which I now realized resembled my closed heart, I had been filled with a kind of feeling that had been locked away and then reawakened within me – hope. There was still hope for me to stand up against Darkheart and awaken who I really was.

I looked into Shiron's deep-blue eyes and said four simple words: _What happened to us?_

Shiron sighed and looked up at the dark sky. It took a minute for him to answer.

"I think both of our minds were opened when we collided with each other. I seem to understand now why I became a Legendz in the first place: I was to be the Guardian of the Wind, but I was confused after my transformation and Ranshiin manipulated my mind to suit his needs." He then looked at me. "What about you?"

I thought about this for a second. _I think that I've just gotten a wake-up call to my full potential. I was manipulated by Darkheart and my heart was shut tight. I feel that in order to unlock my true potential, I must defeat Darkheart and purge this world of his darkness._ I looked up at him and gave a rare smile. _Do you think we were destined to meet, Shiron?_

Shiron shrugged and gave me a sad smile in return. "It may be. Our confrontation may have been predetermined by Fate to help us see the true paths we were supposed to take." He got to his feet and extended a paw. "Need a hand up?" I nodded and extended my own hand for support to get to my feet. Shiron chuckled slightly and patted me on the back. _By the way, I like the new anthro form._

"Anthro...?" I looked at myself in amazement. Just like Darkheart had said, when my true power had been awakened, I would be able to take on an anthro form just like he had. I had two long, muscular legs with my taloned feet and my tail was much slimmer and more prehensile than before. I had two lean, nail-less hands and arms and my wings had shifted positions to my shoulders. To top it all off, I had a lean, fit six-pack under my chest mark. In fact, the only thing that hadn't changed was my head and neck area. Despite being slightly shorter, I could still feel the same details as I had in my true form. It was – there was no other word for it – beautiful. Even though I was still the same color as the Darkness that had consumed me, I still felt a sense of satisfaction flowing through me. Since my heart was still shut tight, I could not understand happiness, but I felt that Darkheart would have the answers I sought when I returned to the Shadow World.

I looked at Shiron and a satisfied smile flickered across my face. _Thank you for your inspiration, Shiron. May we meet again when this evil wind has subsided._

Shiron nodded and extended his paw forward. "I look forward to it. I'm going to teach Ranshiin a thing or two about the power of the wind."

I shook his paw firmly and the two of us turned around and took flight at once. I tucked my arms under my chest and flew gracefully to the portal to the Shadow World. I was going to show Shadow Lugia just who he was dealing with by giving me the powers of an immortal.

I had expected Darkheart to be still out in the world when I returned to the Shadow World. What I _didn't_ expect was for him to be standing right inside the gateway in his true form when I arrived.

_Hello, Sheik,_ he said in a casual voice. _Did you have fun?_

I was slightly caught off-guard by his appearance, but I was determined to keep my cool. _I did, actually. I had a little confrontation with one Shiron the Windragon._

Darkheart seemed to be interested. _And how did that turn out?_

I shrugged. _We had a little fight, but I managed to chase him away. He was no match for my power._

Darkheart smiled and walked over to examine my new anthro form. _I am impressed that you have acquired your anthro form so quickly. I wasn't expecting you to achieve this result for some time. You certainly have my respect._

I felt a sense of pride that I had exceeded Darkheart's expectations. I allowed him to walk around me, examining my new form with interest.

_Not bad. Lean, muscular form... rich, violet texture... you've certainly earned it. Tell me..._ he added on a whim. _Are your psychic abilities up to scratch?_

I looked confused. _They should be. Why?_

Darkheart walked behind me and examined my back plates. _Because you should have seen _this_ coming!_

I _didn't_ see it coming and paid for my ignorance when Darkheart backhanded me with one of his wings, causing me to arch my back in pain and causing to or three of my vertebrae to shatter, resulting in my legs and tail to become filled with pain and I slumped to the ground. Getting hit by one of _those_ wings was like getting railroaded by a sumo wrestler... _if_ you were human. The impact was just as devastating as a Shadow Lugia.

I yelled out in pain and dropped to my hands and knees, trying to fight back the shock. Meanwhile, Darkheart had walked over in front of me and sneered at me.

_You miserable excuse for a god. You didn't honestly _think_ that I wasn't keeping my eye one you? I've been watching your steps all day to see what you would do when you confronted Shiron. And I have to say I'm severely disappointed in your actions this morning. You didn't even _try_ to destroy him like I would have. You make me sick that you couldn't lay a hand on Shiron to remove him from your path. I knew from the start that you would never understand the powers of Darkness like I have. I knew that you would never amount to the levels of destruction that I am capable of. In fact, the only good thing that came out of your conversion was that you allowed me to return unrivaled to the world. Now I can remove you from the world and return to my rightful place as King of Darkness._

I grimaced as I forced myself to look at Darkheart in anger. _Then why did you transform me in the first place? If I was so insignificant to you, why did you turn me into a Shadow Lugia and force me to join you?_

Darkheart chuckled darkly and put a feather under my chin so that he could look me in the eye. _I wanted you to think that I was sparing you a horrific death by making you my equal. It would be all the sweeter when I killed you under that assumption. Now I can kill you and return to my rightful place in this world._

He stepped back and held his wings to his chest to charge a move known as "Shadow End". Even though I had never seen him use it, I knew it was the one thing that would kill me as an immortal. I then realized with a shock that I was _never_ immortal. I'd been had! Shadow Lugia had planned this from the start!

I hung my head in defeat as Darkheart laughed at me. _That's it, Skyle; just lie down and face your end. You were never in my league and I am determined to keep it that way. When you die, you can watch my rise to power from the Gates of Hell._

A great sadness filled my heart as the Shadow End was being charged. But then for some reason, the Darkness that was still in my heart was stirred up and a great anger replaced the sorrow. I couldn't believe that I had been used this whole time! Darkheart had planned my downfall from the beginning and this was to be his crowning achievement.

I began to hate Darkheart on a level that made my previous dislike for him seem pathetic. He had destroyed my life, humiliated and manipulated me and now he was rubbing it in my face! I hated him. I absolutely _hated_ him for what he did to me!

I was so overcome with anger and hate that I did not care what I did to him. I wanted to hurt him so badly that _he_ pleaded for mercy instead of me. I was going to make him _beg_ for mercy before _I_ killed him.

The anger I felt was so overpowering and unquenchable that against the pain in my legs, I got to my feet and stared a hole in Darkheart, who looked shocked at my determination.

_How is that possible?_ he said, letting the Shadow End fizzle out. _You should be paralyzed! You shouldn't be able to move!_

I hissed at him and yelled out with my psychic voice. _I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU ALWAYS HAVING YOUR WAY WITH ME!!! I'M GOING TO TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO KILL YOU AND THEN DISMANTLE YOUR BODY WITH MY BARE HANDS!!! YOU ARE THROUGH MANIPULATING ME, DARKHEART!!! DIE NOW!!!_

With a single movement, I thrust my hand forward and used my psychic powers to start to choke him. He gripped at his throat as the oxygen started to be cut off from his lungs.

_You... how... did you... get that power?! It's... impossible!_

_YOU HAVE _NOIDEA_ WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF!!! _I bellowed, causing the Shadow World around me to surge with energy.

I threw my enemy to one side, causing him to fall in a heap before turning around to face me. I then walked towards him with my hands surrounded with blue energy.

For the first time, I could see genuine fear plastered all over his face as he tried to back away from me. _How could I have overlooked this? You've entered Reverse Mode! The Darkness in your heart is trying to overcome the Light. How could I have failed to see this?!_

I did not care what he said. I was determined to kill him by my own hands. My anger had reached a point that I could no longer control it. Against all of my better judgment, I opened up my maw and charged up – not a Shadowblast – but a clear beam of light known as an Aeroblast. I was going to make Darkheart pay for what he did to me and nothing was going to stand in my way.

_Good-bye... Darkheart._

Darkheart could only watch as the Aeroblast exploded from my mouth and punched a clean hole through his torso. He did not die right away but instead looked at the hole in his body in disbelief. He then let out a weak chuckle and said a few last words.

_I feel..._ he paused, his last few breaths coming in shudders. _...cold. So this... is Death._ He chuckled weakly and struggled to stay awake. _Well done... Sheik._

His last breath escaped his body and his eyes glazed over before he exploded into millions of wisps of violet light. Darkheart the Shadow Lugia was defeated.

I let out a roar of triumph as the Shadow world started to collapse around me. Without Darkheart to fuel the powers of Darkness, the realm was collapsing. I felt a sense of power running through my veins.

But even though I had killed Darkheart, my fury and my anger was not satisfied. I wanted more. I wanted to destroy the world with my awesome might. It was as if Darkheart's influence was fueling me in Reverse Mode. I quickly Teleported out of the Shadow World and returned to the Real World to destroy it piece by piece.

When I reappeared in the Real World, my Reverse Mode had reached its climax. I wanted to destroy all who stood before me and I didn't care who got in my way.

My red eyes had been glazed over with purple mist and I let out a savage roar to my surroundings and flew off to the nearest city.

When I arrived, I went into a frenzy. I fired off Shadow Storm after Shadow Storm and Shadowblasted everything in sight. The people around me fell like flies under my rage and their screams only fueled my Reverse Mode. It looked like I would either destroy everything around me or kill myself in the process.

Suddenly, a familiar wind flew past me, but I was too enraged to notice it. I was so enraged at everything around me that I didn't hear a familiar voice call out to me.

"SHEIK!!!"

From out of nowhere, Shiron the Windragon came flying at me and latched onto my back in an attempt to stop my rampage. I roared and shrieked at my unseen attacker and tried to buck him off.

But Shiron was doing his best to hold on while yelling in my ear, "Sheik! You need to calm down! If you keep this up, you'll destroy yourself!"

At Shiron's words, the Light in my heart began to start to fight the overwhelming Darkness, which made me even more unstable. I thrashed and whipped Shiron into a building, breaking one of his wings, but still he held on to try to bring me into the Light.

"Come on, Sheik! I know you can win this! Come back into the Light and prove you can overcome this! I believe in you!"

Shiron sustained a few more injuries before I started to slow down in my thrashing. The Darkness in my heart was starting to wane and I could see Light coming back to me. I soon stopped attacking completely and fell to the ground, gasping for breath. I had been taken out of Reverse Mode, but the damage had been done.

Shiron's next order of business was to make sure I was brought to safety. With an incredible effort, he lifted my up in his arms and carried me away to an abandoned building somewhere in town.

When I finally came to, I felt extremely weak and frightened. I felt as if I had could not feel anger anymore and my powers felt severely drained. I could not remember what I was doing for the past hour and I felt all alone inside my heart.

"You gave me quite the fright there, Sheik."

I looked around and saw Shiron the Windragon tending to his broken wing and a sore arm. I could honestly say that I was glad to see him.

_Shiron, what... what have I been doing this whole time? I... can't remember anything... but anger... such violent anger..._

Shiron winced as he stood up and walked over to me and put his uninjured arm on my shoulder. "The Darkness in your heart must have made your emotions reach a fever pitch. You went berserk after you killed Darkheart and I could barely get through to you. You're lucky that the damage was minimal before I got there."

_Shiron..._ I couldn't thank him enough for saving me from myself. _Thank you..._

"Not a problem. But just to make sure that nothing happens to you, I'm gonna stick around to help you reopen your heart."

_But... what about Ranshiin? Won't he find out?_

Shiron shook his head and then immediately put a gloved paw to the back of it from the pain. "Don't worry about Ranshiin; I dealt with him after our previous confrontation. He's no longer a problem."

_Oh... _I said meekly. _That's good._

Shiron walked back over to a corner to lay down. "I've been thinking about my purpose in life ever since I saw you last, and I wondered why Shiron chose me to be his successor. I was just a regular Legendz fan, but he chose me to carry on his legacy. Ever since my "conversion", Ranshiin never told me why Shiron chose me. He just used me to spread his darkness throughout the world. I can't even remember who I am anymore. All I ever knew was pain and destruction. I just wish I could find out about my past."

I had Recovered enough to get back on my feet in my true form and I walked over to comfort Shiron. _I feel your pain. Darkheart never told me who I used to be before I became a Shadow Lugia. Somehow, I think we were meant to be together, Shiron. I think we should work together to find out who we once were. Besides..._ I added, putting a wing on his uninjured one. _I've always dreamed of becoming a great god; I just never realized it until now. I guess it's a dream come true. So, what do you say? Friends? _I flipped my wing to one side in a peace offering.

Shiron looked from my wing to my demon-like face and must have realized that behind this frightening face and locked inside this black heart was the soul of a true friend. He smiled and took my wing in his paw and shook it.

"Friends. Like you said, dreams _do_ come true."

I smiled, walked over to my corner and soon fell asleep. I had a big day ahead of me tomorrow and I wanted to be well-ready for the unknown.

From deep inside the collapsed Shadow World, a small, violet flame ignited after the destruction of its true form. Pure anger and power radiated from this flame and it slowly began rebuilding the ruined dimension. The powers of Darkness that remained in the collapsed dimension flowed into the flame, slowly building its size and power once again. It would be a long time before the flame was big enough to take form, but a voice echoed from it all around the Shadow World.

_We will meet again, Sheik. When the moon turns black and the sun fails to rise, I will return. You have not seen the last of me! I will be back and my power will be second to none! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!_

**To be continued...?**

Coming soon from shadowlugia249:

"Son of a God 2: Hybrid Theory" – ???

"Dreams Come True 5: Untold Legendz" – Shiron's story


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